NEWS
Call for major West Coast track upgrade
Transport chiefs in the Midlands want the West Coast Main Line (WCML) four-tracked “well ahead” of the proposed opening of the high-speed rail link.
Centro, the region’s transport authority, said extra track is needed on the stretch between Birmingham and Coventry to meet ever-rising demand for local rail travel. It wants it made a “key part” of the 14-year franchise bids for the WCML, due to start next year.
Centro chief executive Geoff Inskip said: “The existing stretch between Birmingham and Coventry is al- ready a bottleneck that impacts on the reliability of the services run- ning on it and it is extremely diffi- cult to get any more trains through this pinch point. This capacity problem will only get more acute in the next few years and will reach saturation point by 2021, five years before HS2 is due to open. Once we hit that point ten years from now some tough choices will have to be made between the inter-city and local services operating on the line.
“We therefore cannot afford to wait for HS2 and are calling on train companies looking to bid for the WCML franchise to make a commitment to four tracking the line between Birmingham and Coventry. Indeed even after the proposed high speed line opens, four tracks on this stretch of rail- way will remain crucial to meet demand.”
RAIB investigation into freight train derailment
A freight train which derailed in Scotland during January’s heavy snow and ploughed into trees has prompted four recommen- dations from the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB).
Snow and ice on the brakes played a part in the derailment of the train near Carrbridge station on the Highland mainline, inves- tigators said. The driver and tech- nician suffered minor injuries in the crash, which happened when the train overshot a diversion run- out at the station.
Other contributing factors includ- ed the way the driver applied the rules for operating trains in snowy conditions on steep climbing gra- dients, and the large amount of
deep snow close to the line, much of it left there by snowploughs used by other engines.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
To view the report, and RAIB’s recommendation:
www.raib.gov.uk
Chiltern responds to criticism of ‘poor planning’
Chiltern Railways chairman Adrian Shooter has moved to “clarify” the status of the Evergreen 3 scheme after a leaked report showed that the £250m line upgrade has been delayed by cost claims and poor planning.
A confidential Network Rail report said: “We need to be convinced that BAMN [contractor BAM Nuttall] is in a position to prop- erly resource up and deliver this programme. BAMN is concerned about being paid their perceived entitlement to the cost of work done, though a large part of these costs appear in a significant claim against Chiltern, with much work still to do.”
In a statement, Shooter said: “Chiltern Railways wishes to clari- fy the arrangements for the project management of the Evergreen 3 scheme.
“At the end of January Chiltern’s project director retired. The re- placement project director is a Network Rail employee who reports to a governance panel chaired by Chiltern Railways and including senior Network Rail staff.
“This joint approach to project management combines Network Rail’s experience with Chiltern’s unique ability to identify the in- frastructure improvements which
are needed to enhance the pas- senger’s experience; and doing so without the need for subsidy from the taxpayer. Chiltern Railways re- mains the scheme sponsor.
“Chiltern’s priority is to ensure that the project is completed as soon as possible whilst avoiding the risk of affecting our customers through unplanned disruption. We have recently announced that we expect the journey time improve- ments to be introduced in late summer.”
It is hoped the line upgrade will cut journey times be- tween Birmingham and London Marylebone by 20 minutes.
Freight industry welcomes Southampton to Midlands gauge upgrade
The loading gauge enhancement scheme from Southampton to the West Midlands has been complet- ed on time, to the delight of the rail freight industry.
The important project, conceived in 2002 but shelved in 2005 due to lack of funds, was reinvigorated in October 2006. The loading gauge upgrade means the line can now cope with modern 9’ 6” ‘high cube’ containers, which make up almost half of the containers arriv- ing at the Port of Southampton,
without the use of less-efficient low liner and pocket wagons.
The £71m Network Rail project has upgraded the line via Basingstoke, Reading, Oxford and Leamington, and involved demolishing and re- building around 50 old bridges, arches and other structures to give better clearance for the larger freight containers. It hit opposition from some local conservation groups, but Network Rail ulti- mately won its battles and got the project complete. One of the big-
8 | rail technology magazine Feb/Mar 11
Images show Southampton Tunnel, upgraded as part of the project. Credit: Network Rail
gest parts of the project, lowering the tracks through Southampton Tunnel, was completed more than a year ahead of schedule
in January 2010. It is hoped the upgrade will take 50,000 lorries a year off the roads and boost the rail freight industry.
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